Cost of Living Comparison Between Kulim and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Kulim and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $981 per month in Kulim vs $2,263 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,514 per month in Kulim vs $3,315 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,048 per month in Kulim vs $4,368 in Lisbon, rent included.

Kulim is about 57% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Kulim sits 27% below the global median, while Lisbon is 68% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.54 MYR 10.31

$15.94 €13.82

-84.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.96 MYR 97.2

$63.4 €54.9

-62.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.82 MYR 15.52

$10.38 €9.00

-63.20%

Cappuccino

$2.26 MYR 9.17

$2.79 €2.42

-19.00%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 MYR 3.00

$2.34 €2.03

-68.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$1.57 €1.36

-77.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.33 MYR 17.58

$3.43 €2.97

26.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 MYR 21.37

$3.91 €3.39

34.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.77

$1.08 €0.93

76.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 MYR 4.59

$1.77 €1.53

-36.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.81

$1.71 €1.48

-16.37%

Eggs

$1.85 MYR 7.50

$3.15 €2.73

-41.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.18 MYR 90.0

$13.68 €11.86

62.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.97 MYR 20.17

$8.01 €6.94

-37.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MYR 43.25

$15.52 €13.45

-31.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 MYR 15.59

$2.29 €1.99

67.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.89

$1.64 €1.42

3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 MYR 13.86

$1.94 €1.68

75.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 MYR 10.40

$2.51 €2.18

1.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.14

$1.79 €1.55

-1.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.25

$2.01 €1.74

-47.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MYR 4.34

$1.97 €1.70

-45.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.24

$0.84 €0.73

-34.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MYR 16.84

$6.79 €5.88

-38.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 MYR 71.5

$5.67 €4.92

210.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 MYR 17.04

$1.39 €1.20

202.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 MYR 21.84

$3.02 €2.61

78.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$2.27 €1.97

-76.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 MYR 47.75

$45.44 €39.38

-74.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.90

$4.29 €3.72

-71.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.16

$0.85 €0.74

21.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.39 MYR 17.80

$18.28 €15.84

-75.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$1.99 €1.72

-74.87%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$44.1K MYR 179.0K

$35.0K €30.4K

25.90%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$31.6K MYR 128.2K

$39.5K €34.3K

-20.12%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$73.0 MYR 296

$146 €127

-50.08%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.90 MYR 40.18

$20.45 €17.72

-51.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.12 MYR 114

$38.98 €33.78

-27.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.80 MYR 149

$48.98 €42.46

-24.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.71 MYR 23.19

$18.83 €16.32

-69.68%

Cinema Ticket

$5.61 MYR 22.76

$9.52 €8.25

-41.07%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$117 MYR 476

$608 €527

-80.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,336 MYR 17.6K

$16.5K €14.3K

-73.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 MYR 453

$104 €90.0

7.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.79 MYR 113

$42.12 €36.50

-34.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 MYR 301

$92.2 €79.9

-19.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 MYR 321

$120 €104

-34.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 MYR 1,556

$1,621 €1,405

-76.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 MYR 1,079

$1,268 €1,099

-79.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MYR 2,587

$3,048 €2,642

-79.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MYR 1,924

$2,009 €1,741

-76.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,197 MYR 8,917

$7,663 €6,641

-71.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$972 MYR 3,946

$4,329 €3,752

-77.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,374

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

3.81

3.94%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kulim: June 6, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $383 in Kulim versus $1,621 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Kulim versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries tell a different story – $308 in Kulim vs $269 in Lisbon – so Lisbon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Kulim vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 131% more than Kulim, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,471 per month in Kulim and $3,394 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kulim, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Kulim and $63.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kulim, where all-in costs run around $981, than in Lisbon at $2,263. In Kulim it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kulim costs $981 versus $2,263 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kulim. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.